Best of News

Best of News

Santa Muerte

Jan Sochor

A Mexican follower of Santa Muerte (Saint Death) shows his tattoo during the pilgrimage in Tepito, a rough district of Mexico City, Mexico, 1 May 2011. The religious cult of Santa Muerte is a syncretic fusion of Aztec death worship rituals and Catholic beliefs. Born in lower-class neighborhoods of Mexico City, it has always been closely associated with crime. In the past decades, original Santa Muerte's followers (such as prostitutes, pickpockets and street drug traffickers) have merged with thousands of ordinary Mexican Catholics. The Saint Death veneration, offering a spiritual way out of hardship in the modern society, has rapidly expanded. Although the Catholic Church considers the Santa Muerte's followers as devil worshippers, on the first day of every month, crowds of believers in Saint Death fill the streets of Tepito. Holding skeletal figurines of Holy Death clothed in a long robe, they pray for power healing, protection and favors and make petitions to La Santísima Muerte, who reputedly can make life-saving miracles.

A Mexican follower of Santa Muerte (Saint Death) shows his tattoo during the pilgrimage in Tepito, a rough district of Mexico City, Mexico, 1 May 2011. The religious cult of Santa Muerte is a syncretic fusion of Aztec death worship rituals and Catholic beliefs. Born in lower-class neighborhoods of Mexico City, it has always been closely associated with crime. In the past decades, original Santa Muerte's followers (such as prostitutes, pickpockets and street drug traffickers) have merged with thousands of ordinary Mexican Catholics. The Saint Death veneration, offering a spiritual way out of hardship in the modern society, has rapidly expanded. Although the Catholic Church considers the Santa Muerte's followers as devil worshippers, on the first day of every month, crowds of believers in Saint Death fill the streets of Tepito. Holding skeletal figurines of Holy Death clothed in a long robe, they pray for power healing, protection and favors and make petitions to La Santísima Muerte, who reputedly can make life-saving miracles.

Calais Migrants Attempt To Find A Way To Reach The UK

Rob Stothard

Fikrte from Ethiopia poses for a portrait on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Fikrte left her home country six years ago, living in Kenya and Lebanon before paying smugglers around 1500 euros to travel by place boat to Greece. She hopes to study in the United Kingdom. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Fikrte from Ethiopia poses for a portrait on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Fikrte left her home country six years ago, living in Kenya and Lebanon before paying smugglers around 1500 euros to travel by place boat to Greece. She hopes to study in the United Kingdom. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Calais Migrants Attempt To Find A Way To Reach The UK

Rob Stothard

Kasam from the Darfur region of Sudan poses for a portrait on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Kasam has been living in 'The Jungle' camp in Calais for three months. He left his home four months ago, travelling overland to Libya before being paying smugglers 2000 euros for a place on small plastic boat that carried around 125 people to Italy. Kasam hopes to travel to London to study. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Kasam from the Darfur region of Sudan poses for a portrait on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Kasam has been living in 'The Jungle' camp in Calais for three months. He left his home four months ago, travelling overland to Libya before being paying smugglers 2000 euros for a place on small plastic boat that carried around 125 people to Italy. Kasam hopes to travel to London to study. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Calais Migrants Attempt To Find A Way To Reach The UK

Rob Stothard

A sign reading 'Black is not a crime, I'm proud to be black' is seen by the side of a track behind a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

A sign reading 'Black is not a crime, I'm proud to be black' is seen by the side of a track behind a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Calais Migrants Attempt To Find A Way To Reach The UK

Rob Stothard

A man uses a mobile phone on a bank in a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

A man uses a mobile phone on a bank in a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Calais Migrants Attempt To Find A Way To Reach The UK

Rob Stothard

A copy of the Koran rests on a bedside table in a temporary shelter built by a Sudanese man in a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

A copy of the Koran rests on a bedside table in a temporary shelter built by a Sudanese man in a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Calais Migrants Attempt To Find A Way To Reach The UK

Rob Stothard

A Sudanese man enters his temporary home in a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

A Sudanese man enters his temporary home in a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Calais Migrants Attempt To Find A Way To Reach The UK

Rob Stothard

The sun sets behind a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

The sun sets behind a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Calais Migrants Attempt To Find A Way To Reach The UK

Rob Stothard

The sun sets behind a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

The sun sets behind a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Police Shoot Man In Myers Park

Hannah Peters

Superintendent Richard Chambers talks to the media on August 3, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. Police shot dead 21-year-old David Cerven, a Slovakian national on a one-year working visa in New Zealand. Cerven was wanted for three armed robberies in a week, and advanced on Police claiming to have a gun on Sunday night.

Superintendent Richard Chambers talks to the media on August 3, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. Police shot dead 21-year-old David Cerven, a Slovakian national on a one-year working visa in New Zealand. Cerven was wanted for three armed robberies in a week, and advanced on Police claiming to have a gun on Sunday night.

Police Shoot Man In Myers Park

Hannah Peters

Superintendent Richard Chambers talks to the media on August 3, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. Police shot dead 21-year-old David Cerven, a Slovakian national on a one-year working visa in New Zealand. Cerven was wanted for three armed robberies in a week, and advanced on Police claiming to have a gun on Sunday night.

Superintendent Richard Chambers talks to the media on August 3, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. Police shot dead 21-year-old David Cerven, a Slovakian national on a one-year working visa in New Zealand. Cerven was wanted for three armed robberies in a week, and advanced on Police claiming to have a gun on Sunday night.

Calais Migrants Attempt To Find A Way To Reach The UK

Rob Stothard

A woman cooks on a fire in a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

A woman cooks on a fire in a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Police Shoot Man In Myers Park

Hannah Peters

A general view of the scence where David Cerven was shot by police in Myers Park on August 3, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. Police shot dead 21-year-old David Cerven, a Slovakian national on a one-year working visa in New Zealand. Cerven was wanted for three armed robberies in a week, and advanced on Police claiming to have a gun on Sunday night.

A general view of the scence where David Cerven was shot by police in Myers Park on August 3, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. Police shot dead 21-year-old David Cerven, a Slovakian national on a one-year working visa in New Zealand. Cerven was wanted for three armed robberies in a week, and advanced on Police claiming to have a gun on Sunday night.

Calais Migrants Attempt To Find A Way To Reach The UK

Rob Stothard

A young Christian woman from Eritrea stands outside a shelter in a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

A young Christian woman from Eritrea stands outside a shelter in a make shift camp near the port of Calais on August 2, 2015 in Calais, France. Hundreds of migrants are continuing to attempt to enter the Channel Tunnel and onto trains heading to the United Kingdom.

Police Shoot Man In Myers Park

Hannah Peters

Superintendent Richard Chambers talks to the media on August 3, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. Police shot dead 21-year-old David Cerven, a Slovakian national on a one-year working visa in New Zealand. Cerven was wanted for three armed robberies in a week, and advanced on Police claiming to have a gun on Sunday night.

Superintendent Richard Chambers talks to the media on August 3, 2015 in Auckland, New Zealand. Police shot dead 21-year-old David Cerven, a Slovakian national on a one-year working visa in New Zealand. Cerven was wanted for three armed robberies in a week, and advanced on Police claiming to have a gun on Sunday night.